Mischief

Mischief is another first-rate and almost entirely ignored masterpiece from Christopher Wilson. The story is narrated by the not-quite-human Charles Xique Xique Duckworth (Charlie), who as an infant was discovered in a Brazilian river by a professor doing field research, and brought back to England where he has been raised. Charlie begins to learn he has some crucial differences in appearance and personality from other humans (including a lack of maliciousness), and needs to adopt human characteristics in order to survive. The book becomes an extremely funny satire and morality tale, but what really takes it to the next level is Wilson’s prose, which is sharp and witty and just a sheer delight to read. Highly recommended.